Drayman's Brewery & Distillery

History

Drayman's Brewery & Distillery is a family-owned business in Pretoria, described as a dream that became a reality through a family effort. Moritz Kallmeyer is described as the heart of Drayman's—the founder who built the business and set its course for the future. Hester, Wiehan and Gerhard are mentioned as central family members, responsible for administration, operations and brewing, respectively. According to the history, Moritz began brewing at home in the 1990s (1997 in Villieria) and later moved to Koedoespoort, where a first official location arose. In 2000 the family bought a house in the Silverton area and developed a craft brewery that later became part of Drayman’s broad range. The story also describes the origin of the name: the name refers to dray horses and the delivery culture that accompanied old breweries, and it lies at the core to create a culture around craftsmanship and quality. The text emphasizes a dedication to uniting tradition and modern science to achieve customers' drinking pleasure, without pasteurization but with ultrafiltration to preserve natural flavor profiles.

Production / Manufacturing

According to the history and product pages, Drayman's uses traditional brewing and distilling principles alongside modern technology to preserve flavor and quality. In whisky production, details are given about the craft:

• Mashing: only two-row barley malt is used; a small portion of imported peat malt is added for a smoky character; malt is crushed on-site with a Bamford two-roller malt mill; the water is local with medium hardness and is carbon-filtered and softened.

• Temperatures: mashing occurs at 65°C for 60 minutes, run-off at 78°C; wort is measured with a specific gravity around 1.060; mashing and runoff take 3 hours.

• Fermentation: wort is collected in a mash tun and fermentation lasts 7 days at around 30°C, yielding a wash of about 7% alcohol. The yeast is sourced from the brewery's beer fermentations; a further 2 days of malolactic fermentation are carried out to create a smoother distillate.

• Distillation: the wash is heated via a plate- and frame heat exchanger and the distillation process is performed as a double distillation, with the low wines redistilled. The heart cut is taken for maturation as whisky. Foreshots and feints account for 45% of the distillate and are returned to the still for each batch.

Drayman’s Highveld Single Malt Whisky (750 ml)

A single malt from the Highveld with detailed product descriptions and tasting notes: the nose is described as raisins and spicy notes, progressing to a sweet dessert wine, exotic spices and a note of poached peaches in vanilla syrup with oak; the palate reveals a honeyed character with orange marmalade and dark chocolate; the finish is long and oaked with nutty elements such as nutmeg and marmalade. The product is described as a handcrafted distillate with a belief that it can approach Scotch perfection in South Africa. The distillation and raw material descriptions emphasize the use of high-quality malt and tight process control.

Drayman’s Protea Smoked Whisky (750 ml)

Protea Smoked Whisky is a blended whisky, where a smoky character is a central part of the flavor profile. It is described as a fusion of sweet smoky notes and the influence of French oak casks, with flavors of dark chocolate and orange peel, and a finish characterized by honeyed sweetness and juicy fruits. According to the description the whisky is matured in French oak casks and provides a creamy, smooth texture with a pronounced, but balanced smoky note.

Visits and Experiences

There is no information in the available content about tours or specific experiential options at Drayman's. The information focuses primarily on the company's history, production details and whisky products.

Philosophy

Drayman's describes a philosophy in which the customer's enjoyment of the drink is central. Quality is the keyword: the aim is to brew the best beer by using quality malt, hops and water, and by combining traditional methods with modern science. The goal is to create products that are not pasteurized, but preserve the flavor experience through ultrafiltration. There is an emphasis on contributing to a craft-beer culture in South Africa, inspired by German beer culture, and a strong emphasis on family heritage and craftsmanship as pillars of the business.